Sex trafficker sentenced to 22 years for crimes at former Sayville motel
Federal prosecutors said Michael Johnson used drugs, threats, and physical violence to force women into prostitution at the Sayville Motor Lodge on Sunrise Highway.
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A Long Island man convicted of running a violent sex‑trafficking ring out of a now‑shuttered Sayville motel was sentenced Wednesday to 22 years in federal prison.
Michael Johnson, 37, showed no visible reaction as Judge Joanna Seybert delivered the sentence in a Central Islip courtroom. But the emotional toll of his crimes was clear: the sister of one victim sobbed as she described how Johnson manipulated and abused vulnerable women.
“I watched him slowly take control of her life, breaking her down piece by piece,” she told the court.
Federal prosecutors said Johnson used drugs, threats, and physical violence to force women into prostitution at the Sayville Motor Lodge on Sunrise Highway. The motel was shut down in 2022 and remains vacant.
Judge Seybert condemned Johnson’s actions before announcing the sentence, saying, “The cruelty that this court witnessed throughout the trial, I can’t excuse that.”
Johnson declined to speak during the hearing.
His defense attorney argued for a lighter sentence, citing Johnson’s difficult upbringing, including being abandoned by his mother at age 16. Johnson’s uncle, James Johnson, also addressed the court, saying he believed the punishment was excessive.
“What hurt me so bad about it is they didn’t listen to nothing he said,” he said outside the courthouse. “I thought federal court was better than criminal court. All I have to do is say you did this to me and federal court put you in prison?”
The case comes as Long Island officials continue to confront sex trafficking. Suffolk County recently passed legislation limiting hourly motel rentals in an effort to curb trafficking, and Nassau County lawmakers are considering similar measures.
